The Island Kacheek Caper
by supercomputer276
Summary: SonStar the Kacheek is hoping to relax when he takes a vacation to Mystery Island. However, he soon finds himself caught up in a mystery with disappearing islanders and a deceptivly beautiful lady-type.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This story _predates_ the first _Game Over_. I think it was around Neopet's Y6 or 7, or at least our 2004 and 2005, back when I was an active Neopets user. Yes, I'm writing about my pet (or what formally was my pet, long story); since I got a Game Over story idea that follows from this one, I'm hoping your reviews to this will give me the motivation to dive back into Neopia and finish it. Motivation is a scarce mistress at times.

As it's _old_ old (for my work at least), the first chapter or two isn't going to be pretty even though I have corrected the grammar and stuff since then. General corniness, mostly. Nevertheless, I hope you all enjoy.

As a final note, this was _originally_ intended for the Neopian Times. However, a short talk with a Neopets-savvy familiar of mine that I gave the overall summary of the story to told me that the NT wouldn't take it due to... well, check the genre.

**Chapter 1**

_24TH day of Hunting, 10:04 PM_

_Waterspace around Mystery Island_

As most stories begin with a dark and story night, I'll keep up the tradition by saying that it _was_ a dark and stormy night. And I _mean_ dark and stormy. Anyway…

It was a dark and stormy night on Mystery Island. All the inhabitants had taken cover in what grass huts haven't blown away or in one of the caves scattered about. Some thought that someone was angry. Someone was (another poor soul had failed Jhudora's Quest again), but she had nothing to do with this story's main plot.

A strange figure swam in the stormy waters around Mystery Island. She swam low enough to avoid the turbulence, yet high enough to keep the water pressure off. To the casual observer that had no idea what Neopia's villains look like, it would be strange to see this Neopian afloat with those boots and black dress she wore.

The figure reached the shoreline. Finding a sub-marine cave, she swam down and into it for shelter until the storm ended. There were no air pockets in the cave, but being an Acara, the creature found it unnecessary.

When the storm cleared… she has a bit of business to settle… one with one little girl… another with the whole island…

***

_14TH day of Swimming, 9:30 AM_

_Mystery Island_

Several weeks later, long after the storm had stopped, a medium-sized tugboat pulled into the harbor of Mystery Island. As the gangplank was extended, several Neopets, dressed for the tropical climate, of several different species made their way for a day of hot beaches, cool water, and crazily low prices.

One Neopet dragged a suitcase as tall as he was and twice as wide. The green Kacheek made his way to the gangplank and it was only with very careful coordination that he managed to get him and his suitcase to the dock without tumbling head over heels.

SonStar was on vacation while his owner took care of a few things in his hometown of Neopia Central. He had a cheery personality, and being a Kacheek, always tried his best to avoid violence.

He made his way down the wharf and to the beach. Unfortunately, the islanders didn't really know how to make maps, and as a result he was totally lost. Strange… apparently they knew how to make fliers.

He noticed a nearby Island Grundo handing out fliers for Gadgasbond. He dragged his suitcase (boy it didn't feel this heavy when he got on that tugboat) over to the Grundo.

"Excuse me," he said, "but do you know where the Island Sanctuary Hotel is?"

The Grundo pointed along the beach.

"Thank you." As he dragged on, he didn't notice the small giggle the Grundo held behind his mask.

SonStar made his way down the beach, pulling the suitcase with what strength he had, which to be honest wasn't much.

Soon, he had left the warm beaches near the dock and all of the tourists and shops behind. The sand of the beach around him felt cold, and the coast was rather rocky.

_Island Sanctuary Hotel?_ he thought. _Perhaps Yosie should've checked the description for that place a bit better._

Too focused on both his thoughts and his luggage, SonStar tripped over a rock, sending him face-down in the cold sand.

He recovered his senses after a few moments, and got off, brushing off sand and spitting it out as well. He was about to pick up his suitcase when he saw it was shaking slightly.

Wondering what it was, he undid the latches and the suitcase popped open.

Inside, along with some of his personal belongings, was another Kacheek, same size and age, but was colored Fire.

"Charcoal!" SonStar said, hints of surprise and anger in his voice. "What are you doing in my suitcase?"

"Well," Charcoal replied in a 'cool guy' kind of voice, "my owner couldn't afford tickets and I wanted to go, and I learned you were going, so here I am."

"But what about Charlie?" SonStar replied, "Isn't he gonna be worried sick?"

"Nah, he doesn't drop by too often. He'll never know I'm gone. On an unrelated note, you're out of food."

"But I packed plenty before I left."

Charcoal's reply was a burp.

SonStar pulled his friend out of his suitcase and closed it. "Look, I've got enough money for two tickets back," he said as he started to walk away, "but that's means we can't spend that much ourselves in the meanwhile. I'm spending the full week here, and I don't care how you spend it."

"I'm gonna spend it with you. You're the only person on the island I know. By the way, where ya going?"

"Island Sanctuary Hotel."

"But that's on the west side of the island. You're heading east."

SonStar stopped, turned around, and headed back down the beach in the direction he came from, grumbling under his breath, but it was only a few steps when he heard something.

It sounded like soft singing. Soft and beautiful.

"Do you hear that?"

"What, your mouth?"

"No, that singing."

Charcoal listened. "Yeah, I hear it."

"Hold my stuff." SonStar gave the huge suitcase to Charcoal and followed the sound into the jungle.

Being as quiet as he could as to not alert the singer (or anything else, for that matter) to his presence, SonStar quietly made his way through the shrubberies of Mystery Island until he reached his destination.

It was a small clearing of which about half was taken up by a pool with a small 10-foot waterfall (compared to a Kacheek, that's kinda tall). A large rock was on the shore of the pool, and sitting on it was apparently the source of the song, facing away from the bewildered SonStar. Judging from the back, the figure was another Kacheek.

SonStar tried to sneak closer, but stepped on a twig right in the middle of the clearing quite by accident. The new Kacheek stopped singing and turned around.

SonStar was almost blinded by the light the singer seemed to radiate. The singer was an Island Kacheek, yet seemed very different from all the rest. He could tell the singer was a girl, judging from the eyelashes. A large island flower was above her right ear, right next to the three white marks on her forehead that appeared in all other Island Kacheeks. She wore an earring on her left ear. The upper half of her torso was covered in a deep red sleeveless shirt with a green dot pattern around the bottom, and a Jetsam tooth necklace hung in front of it. Around her waist was a grass skirt and on her feet were sandals with bamboo soles and grass straps.

"Why, hello," she said in a kind, soft voice, "Who are you?"

SonStar seemed to keep losing his track of thought. "I'm… I'm, uh… I'm SonStar."

"Pleasure to meet you, SonStar," she replied as she got down from the rock and landed gracefully on the ground. "I'm Novashine."

"Novashine… that's a beautiful name."

She slightly blushed and put her hand to her mouth to stifle the cute little giggles. "Thanks."

SonStar blushed even more than Novashine did.

Suddenly, SonStar's concentration was diverted when Charcoal burst into the clearing behind him, dragging SonStar's suitcase. "Why did ya have to go off without me, SonStar? Leaving me to carry your luggage? What kind of friend do you think you are?"

"Charcoal, not now. There's-" He turned to indicate Novashine, but she had disappeared.

"There's what?" Charcoal asked, looking at the clearing.

"Nothing," SonStar replied sadly, taking the suitcase from Charcoal and walking out of the clearing, head down. Wondering what "nothing" really was, Charcoal followed.

***

_14TH day of Swimming, 11:06 AM_

_Mystery Island marketplace_

After checking into the hotel, SonStar and Charcoal decided to walk around a little bit. There were several stores in the marketplace, as well as a few homes.

Quite innocently, SonStar overheard a nearby elderly Island Quiggle talking to a Blumaroo and a Kongura. "So, any new things going on?"

"My son disappeared a few days ago," the Blumaroo said, "I don't know what happened to him."

"I think I have a guess," the Kongura replied, "That diva Kacheek I've heard about. What's her name, Novashine?"

SonStar gestured to Charcoal that he'll catch up later. After the fiery Kacheek left, SonStar walked calmly over to the three islanders. "I couldn't help but overhear. Something about someone named Novashine?"

"Yeah," the Blumaroo replied.

"I met a Kacheek named Novashine in the middle of the jungle," SonStar said, "just this morning."

All of them looked more unbelieving than surprised.

"How long were you talking?" the Kongura asked.

"Maybe about ten seconds before my friend barged in. Then she just disappeared."

"You ought to be thanking your friend," the Quiggle said, "He possibly saved your life."

"_What?!_" SonStar said, now being the one disbelieving. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that anyone that spends over a minute with that diva is never heard from again. Several young men have disappeared, only two of which were tourists. Those that have managed to escape, which is about six not counting you, say that she's so beautiful, those that stare at her too long will be practically hypnotized by her looks. What she does with what she catches is still a mystery, mostly 'cause people don't know where she lives. Some say she kills them, others say she marries them. No one knows anything anymore…" he began to trail off.

SonStar politely excused himself and made his way after Charcoal. Was this strange female Kacheek trying to waylay and kill him?

He'd heard looks could kill, but this was ridiculous!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: You wanna know how much I've gained and lost interest in doing this. The first two parts were written with the rest of the story, the third part was written around like a year ago, and the last part only a few nights ago.

**Chapter 2**

_14TH day of Swimming, 7:30 PM  
__Island Sanctuary Hotel, Room 204_

"You mean to tell me," Charcoal asked SonStar, "that you met an Island Kacheek in the middle of the jungle that's responsible for the disappearances of multiple islanders?"

"That's right."

"Well, whadda ya know? I barge into a clearing and inadvertently save your life. You'd oughta be thanking me."

"Be quiet. Something's up. No one as innocent as she sounded could be doing this on purpose. At least not by herself."

"What makes you an expert on the subject? Yosie's been caring for your hide for a long time now. Sure, he took a half-year sabbatical, but he returned. You've got a decent owner, a tidy Neohome, a beautiful Neogarden, and enough food. As for me, I only support myself by stealing from you. ...Oops."

SonStar gave Charcoal an angered look.

"Anyway," Charcoal continued, "what I'm saying is, you're no detective."

"We'll just see about that."

_15TH day of Swimming, noon  
__Techo Mountain_

The strange Acara sat in her stone throne deep in a cave in Techo Mountain. Its heat that pushed through every crack in the rock greatly unsuited her, but it was the best base of operations available to her. As for the throne, she had to carve it herself. The volcanic rock in here was hard, but her dagger managed to cut through, although the poison the blade was dipped in helped.

She looked at the waterproof watch she kept under her sleeve. _Almost high noon,_ she thought, _My servant should be here with the morning's catch very soon._

She heard paws on stone near the cavern entrance. Just on time.

A beautiful female Island Kacheek was gently bringing in an Island Wocky by the paw. A Wocky that couldn't help staring at his companion through half-open unfocused eyes.

"So, dearest," the Kacheek said, "do you want to meet my friend?"

"Anything, my love," the Wocky replied. His voice had a ghostly tone to it.

"Wait right here, sweetie." The Kacheek put the Wocky's paw down and walked over to the Acara. Then she bowed. "Mistress, I've brought you another prisoner."

"I can tell," the Acara said, getting up from her throne, "Pass me the rope, blindfold, and duct tape." She slowly walked over to the beauty-blinded Wocky, her boots giving a soft tap each time the soles hit the stone floor.

"Here you are, mistress," the Kacheek said, giving the Acara the items she requested.

It took only a minute for the Acara to practically gift-wrap the Wocky, who never once snapped from his daze.

"Throw this prisoner with the rest, then begin the afternoon hunt. Oh, and one other thing."

"Yes, mistress?"

"I'm only gonna say this one last time. Do not refer to me as 'mistress.' Call me Vira."

_15TH day of Swimming, 4:00 PM  
__Waterfall clearing_

She was dangerous. He knew it now. If he tried to find her and learn what was going on, he could just as well fall victim to her wiles. He would join the ranks of the men she had seduced into vanishing off the face of the island.

So why couldn't he stop thinking about her in a different light? Was it her voice? Her charm? Her beauty? Just _what_ made him so determined to think that this ran deeper than the rest of the island thought?

He didn't know. Not yet, he didn't. But he resolved to find out, and in order to do so, he had to find her again.

He decided the best spot to start was where he first saw her the previous day. With Charcoal's reluctantly-provided help, he headed back to the west side of the island and quickly relocated the clearing. It was just the same as he last saw it, except that Novashine was not there.

"Remind me again why we're trying to find the one person on this island we need to _avoid_," Charcoal whined.

SonStar shushed him with a quick "Shhh!" and approached the rock where Novashine had been sitting before dropping down on all fours. As Charcoal muttered of "indignity," his green friend searched the ground around the boulder for clues.

After some time, SonStar located what appeared to be Novashine's tracks. The indentations in the dirt did suggest that they were made well over a day ago.

"Look, if you're so eager to find her, why don't we get someone that knows more about tracking in this jungle more than you do?" Charcoal suggested.

"Because we won't get any," SonStar answered, never taking his eyes from the prints as he followed them. "The tourists are here to avoid work, and the natives are too scared of her. In fact, I think that if we _did_ try to ask for help, we'd get just the opposite and they'd kick us off the island all the way back to Neopia Central."

"...That might actually be a good thing," Charcoal decided. "We won't have to buy the return tickets."

SonStar shot him a quick look before proceeding to follow the tracks he found into the jungle. Charcoal, after a moment's hesitation, followed.

As one would assume, it was rough going. Neither pet was used to trekking through the jungle's thick foliage, and the tracks were getting harder and harder to follow. More than once they stepped in a mud puddle and had to pull each other out using nearby vines. Charcoal claimed to have seen the same tree at least three times; SonStar suspected that he actually had, due in part to seeing the same rock right next to the tree at least three times as well.

"Either she is a very tricky and cunning Kacheek who managed to deduce someone would try to follow her and took appropriate measures," SonStar said eventually, "or I have no idea where the trail has been for the past half-hour or so and we are very very lost."

"Any reason it can't be both?" Charcoal retorted. "Along with you having a thick head?"

SonStar tried his best to ignore his friend's sarcastic remark. "Let's try to get back to town and get something to eat."

"Brilliant idea, Sherlock," Charcoal replied mockingly. "I've only said something like that at least a _dozen times_ since we left the hotel."

"Look, I keep telling you, you need to watch what you say. One day that big mouth of yours is going to get you into big trouble."

"Hey, I'm just grumpy that I got dragged out into the middle of the jungle instead of hitting the beach and watching the surf. Anyone would be upset about getting dragged out into the hot humid jungle in search of a serial kidnapper."

It took most of the day for them to find their way out, and by the time they were back on the cold sandy beach, the sun was setting and the sky was growing dark. Making their way back to the hotel, the village was in a small ruckus; three more islanders had vanished that day, including a young Wocky.

"Man, who would've guessed?" Charcoal said sarcastically once they returned to their hotel room. "We get lost in the jungle, and we miss all the excitement."

SonStar didn't hear; he was thinking. After a few moments, he slapped himself in the face. "Of course! Why didn't I think of it before?"

"Think of what?"

"Novashine wouldn't hang around in the jungle all day since there aren't any people there! She would be around _here_, since the village is where the islanders are disappearing from!"

"...Meaning?"

"Tomorrow, _we_ don't go to _her_," SonStar concluded. "We'll have _her_ come to _us_."

"So, tomorrow we're just going to hang out around the village and enjoy ourselves while waiting for Little Miss Diva to show up?"

"...That's the idea, yes."

"Now you're talkin' _my_ language!" Charcoal cried happily, pumping his arms. "Let's have a vacation!"

_15TH day of Swimming, 8:52 PM  
__Techo Mountain_

"Mistress Vira, the last of the prisoners for the day have been secured."

"Dang it, girl, what did I tell you about calling me mistress? I'm _vain_, not _conceited_."

"My apologies... ma'am. It's just, given my position, calling you by your name seems... above me."

"Hm... Given I _am_ making you hunt down every islander on this piece of rock by threatening your life, I believe I see your point... Stick with 'ma'am.'"

"Yes, ma'am. Will... that be all for today?"

"...Yes, no point in any more hunts for the moment. But that hesitance in your voice... Is something the matter, girl?"

"No, m-ma'am. It has just been an exhausting day, so many suitors..."

"Ah... In any case, _I'm_ going to bed. I am not to be disturbed unless the mountain starts erupting or something. Good night."

And with that, Vira walked out of the room. Once she was out of sight and she heard the sound of the Acara's bedroom door, Novashine quickly slammed her fist against the cave wall. Only a few miniscule chunks of rock came off; Kacheeks were not known for physical strength and her even less so; but that was not the point.

"Why... Why did he have to get away...?" she muttered.

Until he came onto the scene, her record was perfect. Sure, she was spotted a few times, but never enough to identify her exactly. The only ones that ever saw her fully were her victims, and given she lured them away to her mistress's clutches it wasn't like they could tell anybody.

And then she was taking a breather in a clearing in the jungle by a small waterfall and he came in. The green Kacheek. SonStar, was that his name? Definitely not a native to the island; she'd lived her her whole life and knew of almost every one of her island brethren, and he was not one of them; likely a tourist from the mainland. Within moments, she saw how his brain kept skipping grooves and decided to seduce him, if only because she didn't want him asking around about her. He could see him blushing from all the way across that clearing, she knew she was about to close her hold on him and send him into a state of infatuation he'd have a lot of trouble getting out of, just like all the others. And then that fire Kacheek just burst in and woke him up. She panicked and escaped while they were distracted and it wasn't until an hour later that it occur to her to try and seduce both of them at once, probably because she was so used to doing it one-on-one.

Novashine had felt uneasy inside from that point. "They saw me... They saw me..." She had not told Vira; she couldn't give her bad news unless she wanted another beating. She was already on edge from knowing Vira hated her for being more beautiful than she was, and this was stressing her even more. As long as they were loose to speak to the others and give them information they couldn't be allowed to have, her hunting- oh hell with the hunting, her _life_ was at risk.

She never knew how men reacted to her the second time. Every other time she got them on the first try.

Well, she would have to find out.

"I have to find them..." she told herself. "I have to hunt them down... before Vira has reason to suspect I failed..." She looked over to the cave entrance; the sun had almost set, and the beginning of the night sky was skimming the roof of the arch.

"I have to get them both... tonight."


End file.
